The Avengers is an elite fictional comic book superhero team in the Marvel Comics universe. The team, comprised of existing Marvel characters variously created by writer-editor Stan Lee, artist and co-plotter Jack Kirby and others, first appeared in The Avengers vol. 1, #1 (Sept. 1963).Tagged by the company as "Earth’s Mightiest Heroes", the Avengers originally consisted of Ant-Man, Wasp, Thor, Iron Man, and the Hulk. Almost from inception, however, the roster has been fluid, with the Hulk departing and Captain America joining. The rotating roster has become a hallmark of the team.